Aspen Unveils Title Sponsorship of Bermuda Women’s Match Racing Regatta, Skippers Announced
by World Match Racing Tour 25 Sep 08:29 PDT
29 October – 3 November 2024
Aspen has been announced as the title sponsor of the inaugural Aspen Bermuda Women’s Match Racing Regatta © Ian Roman / WMRT
The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and World Match Racing Tour have revealed that Aspen, a leading speciality insurer and re-insurer, will title sponsor the inaugural Aspen Bermuda Women’s Match Racing Regatta. This event will be held alongside the 71st Bermuda Gold Cup from 29 October to 3 November in Hamilton Harbour. It marks the first occurrence of Bermuda hosting two top-tier match racing events simultaneously: the Bermuda Gold Cup (for the King Edward VII Gold Cup) and this new all-female competition.
This first regatta will also serve as the concluding event of the 2024 Women’s World Match Racing Tour season, marking Bermuda’s first time as a host since the tour began in 2022. The Aspen Bermuda Women’s Match Racing Regatta will feature a prize purse of USD 40,000, the largest on the women’s tour in 2024.
“Equity and inclusivity are fundamental to Aspen’s culture, and we take pride in supporting women in sports, which aligns with our values,” stated Mark Cloutier, Executive Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer of Aspen. “We are honored to sponsor the Aspen Bermuda Women’s Match Racing Regatta, aiming to foster robust competition at sea while promoting lasting bonds among the teams and inspiring women worldwide.”
“Royal Bermuda Yacht Club is immensely proud to announce the upcoming Aspen Bermuda Women’s Match Racing Regatta, held alongside the annual Bermuda Gold Cup,” remarked RBYC Commodore Rebecca Roberts. “This event will unite some of the globe’s best female sailors for thrilling competition, showcasing the increasing visibility of women in sailing, while cultivating both competitive spirit and unity.”
Leading offshore bank and trust firm Butterfield Group is joining as a Supporting Sponsor for the Women’s event. Additionally, Bermuda-based global reinsurer RenaissanceRe returns as a long-term sponsor for the 71st Bermuda Gold Cup, and celebrates their 20th consecutive year as the title sponsor of the RenaissanceRe Junior Gold Cup, an invitational event for Optimist sailors set for 29 Oct – 2 Nov.
Eight teams are set to compete from 29 October to 3 November, including world rank #2 Anna Östling and her WINGS team from Sweden, who is also the reigning Women’s World Match Racing Tour champion.
Three-time Women’s Match Racing World Champion Pauline Courtois, currently women’s #1 from Brest, France, will return to Bermuda with her ‘Match in Pink’ team from Normandy. Courtois is simultaneously part of the French Orient Express Racing Team contesting the Puig Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona and will head to Bermuda following its conclusion in mid-October. Courtois could secure the 2024 Women’s WMRT title in Bermuda along with New Zealand’s Megan Thomson (2.0 Racing) and Julia Aartsen’s Team Out of the Box from the Netherlands.
Great Britain’s Sophie Otter, Australia’s Juliet Costanzo, and Denmark’s Kristine Mauritzen and Lea Vogelius complete the list of women skippers.
71st Bermuda Gold Cup
The skippers’ line-up for the 71st Bermuda Gold Cup has also been confirmed for the same six days from 29 October to 3 November in Hamilton Harbour.
With a rich history, the Bermuda Gold Cup has attracted considerable interest from match racing sailors, all keen to add their names to the century-old King Edward VII Gold Cup. The event has once again garnered an impressive collection of top open match racing sailors, including defending champion Johnie Berntsson from Sweden, current world rank #1 Chris Poole from the USA, and 2022 Match Racing World Champion Nick Egnot-Johnson from New Zealand.
Accepting the Youth invitation for the 71st Bermuda Gold Cup is current Youth Match Racing World Champion, 21-year-old Cole Tapper from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Sydney. Tapper will travel directly to Bermuda from Barcelona, Spain, where he is currently leading Team Australia Challenge in the Youth America’s Cup with AC40 foiling yachts.
Completing the ten-team line-up are Switzerland’s Eric Monnin (Capvis Swiss Match Racing Team), Mati Sepp from Estonia, Gavin Brady (USA), Jeppe Borch (DEN), and Dave Hood from the USA. Representing Bermuda will be Kelsey Durham, a participant in several previous Gold Cup events.
The 2024 Bermuda Open Gold Cup is generously sponsored by the Bermuda Tourism Authority, Aspen, RenaissanceRe, and Goslings.
For further details, visit the Bermuda Gold Cup, World Match Racing Tour, and Women’s World Match Racing Tour websites.
BERMUDA GOLD CUP 2024 SKIPPERS’ LIST*
1. Chris Poole (Open Ranking #1, USA)
2. Johnie Berntsson (Open Ranking #2, SWE)
3. Eric Monnin (Open Ranking #3, SUI)
4. Gavin Brady (Open Ranking #5, NZL/USA)
5. Nick Egnot-Johnson (Open Ranking #8, NZL)
6. Jeppe Borch (Open Ranking #9, DEN)
7. Mati Sepp (Open Ranking #11, EST)
8. Cole Tapper (Open Ranking #24, AUS)
9. David Hood (Open Ranking #28, USA)
10. Kelsey Graham (Open Ranking #630, BER)
ASPEN BERMUDA WOMEN’S MATCH RACING REGATTA 2024 SKIPPERS’ LIST*
1. Pauline Courtois (Women’s Ranking #1, FRA)
2. Anna Östling (Women’s Ranking #2, SWE)
3. Megan Thomson (Women’s Ranking #3, NZL)
4. Lea Vogelius (Women’s Ranking #4, DEN)
5. Julia Aartsen (Women’s Ranking #6, NED)
6. Kristine Mauritzen (Women’s Ranking #8, DEN)
7. Juliet Costanzo (Women’s Ranking #13, AUS)
8. Sophie Otter (Women’s Ranking #14, GBR)
*Rankings are accurate as of 1 September 2024 (www.sailing.org).
